Transformed
by thecellocaseofdoom
Summary: Fujiwara Rukia is known as the school nerd. What is the Hyoutei Regulars find out the she's not so nerdy? AtobexOC,JirouXOC,and NiouXOC. Alternative endings. Rated T for Rukia's collection of swear words.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey minna-san! I know. I should be updating Always and not this piece of crap, but I have absolutely NO idea on how to tackle the seventh chapter and then this story came to mind. Flames are welcome since I got this little thing called a fire extinguisher. **

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_And when I caught myself_

_I had to stop myself_

_From saying something that I should have never thought of you_

_Of you_

_You're pushing and pulling me down to you_

_But I don't know what I want_

_No, I don't know what I want_

I belted out the lyrics of my favorite song, unaware of eight pairs of interested eyes following my every move.

Humming softly to the music from my Ipod, I surveyed the gym with narrowed eyes. It was after school and everyone had gone home. Well, except for me.

After making sure that no one was watching me, I hurriedly took off my glasses and placed them safely on a bench. My vision blurred but whatever.

Taking one last look at my surroundings (although that wouldn't exactly have been productive since I couldn't see worth shit without my glasses), I shook my hair out of its' usual ponytail, feeling the curtain of wavy ebony hair fall down.

You're probably wondering why I'm here at my school gym at (checks watch) 7:30 in the evening.

Okay, so let's start from the beginning. I'm known as the school nerd, with absolutely NO friends. Now, don't leave yet! Just hear me out.

Okay, so the real reason I don't make friends is because none of them are true. They saw me as the nerdy girl and left it at that. I'm generally a friendly person, but I want friends who see past appearances. So I'm waiting.

All in all though, I'm not really UGLY. I'm actually kind of nice-looking (my mom calls me really pretty and so do my friends back in Hawaii but I personally don't think so) with my almond shaped hazel eyes although they are usually hidden from view by my glasses. I also have black hair. Not the lame-o boring kind of black. My mom always told me that I had the vibrant kind of black that stood out. I don't know if that's a bad thing, or a good thing. I mean, what about camouflage? So I hid my "vibrant" hair using sloppy ponytails.

I am kind of pretty, but I don't want them to see that. I want them to like me not just because of my outer appearance. So you see, I'm kind of the type who likes to test people when it comes to friendships.

Anyways, back to whatever I was doing. Oh right! In the gym, late at night.

Okay so here's another thing most people don't know about me. I took gymnastics back in America (where I spent the summer) and I got hooked. So to keep in practice, I do stretches every few days in the gym.

I stripped down to my deep blue sports bra with the black lining and my favorite pair of jogging pants, turning my Ipod's volume up.

First I did splits, adjusting my rhythm to match that of the music. Then cartwheels **(A/N: Forgive me, I don't know much about gymnastics)**, and seven flips.

Five minutes later, I came to my usual ending move. I ran to a wooden bench, climbed on it in one swift move and jumped, tucking my head into my stomach, my hands around my knees. I felt the breeze of air around me before I landed steadily.

_Clap Clap Clap _

I whizzed around, my mouth slightly agape. There, standing in front of me were eight teenage boys who looked to be about my age except for a dark one who scared the crap out of me.

"Ore-sama did not know you could do those things," one guy with a mole smirked, his hands still lingering in a clapping position.

"Ore-sama? Who in Pittsburgh is Ore-sama?" I cocked my head to the right, wishing I had never come to the stupid gym. I felt my face begin to heat up. No one was supposed to see me without my glasses. Only my friends had that privilege. And as far as I knew, these people were not my friends.

A small guy with red hair snickered. He looked like Willy Wonka.

"How can you not know Ore-sama?! Ore-sama is the base of all things! He is on top of everything-"

"How can you be on top of everything when you're the base?" I muttered quietly, brushing my bangs in front of my face so that one of my hazel eyes were covered by a dark gauze. Key word being _one_.

A guy with a bandage coughed and said; "Hello, Fujiwara-san."

I turned to look at him, my eyes widening as I recognized him as one of my classmates.

"Oh. Hi." What was his name again? Shoshoda?

"Hm. I thought you were supposed to be the school nerd. You're way to pretty to be a nerd, ne!" an orange haired guy popped up next to me, childishly brushing my bangs away from my eyes with a silly grin. "Sugoi! You have nice eyes!"

My face turned into an extremely passably imitation of a tomato.

"Jirou, you're making her blush." I turned indignantly to a blue haired guy with round glasses.

"Nice...sports bra, Fujiwara-san," he lifted his eyebrows, amusement mirrored in his eyes.

I suddenly remembered what I was wearing. Shit. Heaven take me now.

"Aw, don't be embarassed, Fujiwara-san! You have a nice body!" The guy named Jirou piped up.

Okay. That did not help.

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**That was a pretty short chapter. Anyways, please tell me if you think I should continue this (which I will next Tuesday coz finals are coming and they will be OVER at last!) or if I should delete it. Anyways, I think I'm gonna keep writing it even if it is the crappiest piece of crap in Crap Town. Thanks for reading and sorry for not updating for so long! Don't worry. Summer is almost here and I will have all the time in the world to finish this. I swear I won't leave it unfinished. I swear to-ooh look! A chocolate bar!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey minna-san! Thanks so much to those who reviewed! Namely; XxMichyBabyxX, precious92, rebekahalana, FallingRaine, and demonsadist! **

**FULL NAME OF OC: FUJIWARA RUKIA **

**I also kinda forgot to mention that when she saw Atobe and the guys her vision was blurry cause she wasn't wearing her glasses. Anyways, please bear with me on this chapter! If you feel as if I could improve it somewhat, feel free to point out! Thanks again to those who reviewed and whatnot! **

**Flames are welcome since I got this little think called a fire extinguisher. **

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_The Hyoutei tennis regulars were stalking me. _

_I can think up several reasons why that sentence is dead wrong. One, tennis regulars. Two, stalking. Three, me. _

I didn't notice it at first, but ever since they saw me in the gym yesterday, I've been having glimpses of them all over campus.

I mean, I walk to along the corridor and see a flash of blue, and then sometimes the faintest hint of red when I walk across the school grounds. Then I saw Shishido-san sneaking glances at me after first period.

I am freaked out man, I am freaked out.

Hurriedly, I pushed my glasses back up the bridge of my nose to keep it from falling as I raced to my locker to grab my books so I could finally go home and be rid of this crazy feeling that someone was watching me.

Clutching my books, I walked hurriedly along the corridor. I listened hard and heard the familiar steps of feet hitting floor behind me. I was almost hyperventilating when I spun on my heel and banged my head on something hard, solid, and...

Orange?

This day could not get any weirder.

"Hello Fujiwara-san!"

My eyes widened as I recognized Jirou's voice.

"Oh, hi, Akutagawa-san," I replied politely in the kind of voice people usually translate to a...more polite version of get the hell outta here.

"Have you been avoiding us?" Jirou piped up.

Geez, this guy was direct.

"Oh-no, no. You see I..." _Want to keep my innocence?_

That would not work. He'll probably think I'm crazy (which I sort of am) and run away and bump his head and die and I'll be charged for the murder of Akutagawa Jirou and I'll stay in prison forever with those dumbo orange clothes that look like elephant skin with NO TOILET PAPER and I'll have to live off rats and insects and sleep on a lumpy old metal bed and die of starvation until someone comes to bail me.

Wow that was a mouthful.

"You have been avoiding us, haven't you?" Jirou looked down sadly.

I had the sudden urge to stab a knife between my eyes right there and then.

"It's-it's not like that, Akutagawa-san! It's just that...you see... I was kind of embarrassed when you guys saw me in the gym and all..."

Well it was true! Who wouldn't be, after a (perverted!) tensai compliments your sports bra? I still squirm whenever I think about that...

"Oh, okay then!" Jirou chirped.

My smile rejoiced and started dancing around, throwing petals.

"So you wanna go with me to the tennis courts?"

My smile died and went to live in a random toilet.

"No thanks, Akutagawa-san. I really have-"

Before I could finish my sentence, Jirou dragged me to the tennis courts and my skirt flipped over exposing my red lace underwear.

Oh, joy.

Rolling my eyes to the heavens, I proceeded to fill my head with pointless questions.

Why me? Why today? Why red undies?

"Akutagawa-san, can you stop for a moment-"

I heard a whistle! Was that a whistle?! That better have not been a whistle!

*******

Ten minutes later, I was sitting on the bench in front of the tennis courts looking all sultry.

Why was I so annoyed, you ask? Well, let me tell you some things.

One; I'm supposed to be the school nerd. School nerds don't get whistled at by (perverted!) tensais and Willy Wonkas. They just don't.

Two; There was currently a drilling session going on at the back of my head caused by millions of fangirls.

Three; I am supposed to be at home doing my Math homework. Not sitting here waiting for tennis practice to be finished just because a certain (purple!) captain ordered (the nerve of moles these days!) me to stay because the club members would like to talk to me.

I considered running away but they would just probably hit me with tennis balls. That or I would probably trip over thin air and die.

Suddenly, someone poked the back of my head.

I whirled around in annoyance, only to be met with what seemed to be half of Hyoutei's girl population.

"You have no right to be talking to Atobe-sama at all! You have NO right to be here. You're just the stupid, friendless, school nerd!" one girl with red hair shouted.

Ouch.

"Hey, I may be the school nerd, but at least I'm not a bunch of dumb fucks who worship mole-bearers and have an average of D-." I snapped back.

Silence. More silence.

/Insert crickets here/

I felt hundreds of eyes on me but I wouldn't meet their gaze.

Scowling at the ground, I picked my bag up, swung it over my shoulder and- got lifted up by Oshitari-san.

"Leaving would not be a good idea, Fujiwara-san," he whispered in my ear.

"Carrying me is not a good idea." I growled quietly. He merely chuckled.

Half of the half of the girl population of Hyoutei glared at me. The other half of the half (kinda confusing, ne?) fainted.

Gritting my teeth, I looked down and willed myself not to undergo Tomato Transformation. Again.

Instead I fixed my attention to counting the cracks on the ground.

One thousand three hundred seventy two, one thousand three hundred seventy three...

Okay this was getting boring. After I had been held back-against my will- and told to stay put on the bench I only had one thought in mind.

_Who did these people think they were? My mother? _

Adjusting my glasses, I whipped out my Ipod and thumbed through the menu.

This is my life.

And I am officially sick of it.

*******

"Talk to me." I stated, crossing my arms. I refused to look up from the ground to meet Atobe's gaze.

It was after practice and we were at the clubroom. And I was slowly dying inside but that's not the point.

"Ore-sama saw you get bullied by those girls earlier," Atobe's eyebrows flew.

I didn't want pity. I am a generally proud person and I do not grovel around searching for pity.

"Oh you mean those dumb fucks? They're really nice, you know? Oh yeah, by the way, you should know that one of them wrote 'Ay luve Keygo Atobee' on the bathroom wall. Smart aren't they?" I said sarcastically.

I surveyed the faces in front of me. Jirou looked anxious. Gakuto looked curious, Oshitari looked amused, Shishido...well I can't decipher a rock's expression. Ootori looked embarrassed.

Cough. Ak-ward.

"So, why did you guys drag me here?" I asked, fingering a strand of my hair.

"Well Fujiwara-san, buchou wanted to get to know you better and so did we," Ootori explained.

"Ohh..." I cocked my head to the right.

_Were these guys crazy? _

_Oh, wait, let me answer that. They were crazy. _

"So, that's...it?" I ventured again.

"We just want to be your friends, Fujiwara-san!" Jirou looked up grinning.

So began said crazy friendship.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey you guys! Sorry for not updating fast! The plot is not so solid right now, so if you guys are confused and whatnot, feel free to tell so. And also, this chappie is kind of hard to understand. Forgive me guys! I tried my best! And BTW, this is my first shot at light romance. Tell me if I'm doing my job right. Flames are welcome since I got this little thing called a fire extinguisher. **

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_Flashback_

_"What's wrong, Atobe? You seem so...distracted." Oshitari directed his gaze toward the diva. _

_"Ore-sama is... a bit intrigued by that girl we saw in the gym yesterday," was the teen's reply. _

_"You mean Fujiwara-san?" _

_"Ah...yes. Ore-sama wants to get to know her better." _

_"What do you mean? You can always use Insight on her," Oshitari raised his eyebrows. _

_"That's just it. Insight does not work on her." _

_*****_

_**Rukia's POV**_

Friends.

I have about a million of them back in Hawaii. But here in Japan? Zilch, nada, zip, zero.

So you must imagine how weird it was for THE Hyoutei Tennis Regulars to want to start hanging out with me, a small insignificant, nobody.

It made me feel insecure. They made me feel insecure. It sounds damn fucking pathetic I know, but they're kind of the first human interaction that I've had for who knows how many eons. They made me feel insecure, as if I wasn't good enough to be their friend.

As if in every single way, I'm not.

They made me feel pathetic. They were giving me pity and I did NOT like pity. They were only trying to become my friends because they felt sorry for me.

Gritting my teeth in frustration, I turned my mind to Jirou. The only regular I didn't feel any grudge against. He was sweet, friendly and warm. He understood me implicitly and he could be a bundle of laughs when he was in hyper mode.

He fit my guy description. Sweet. Caring. Friendly. Undeniably cute.

Where did that come from?!

Then, my mind took a turn down Atobe Lane.

He was handsome, sure. But, so what? I've met several charming guys in my life and he isn't someone who would stand out, honestly.

But there's just something about his personality that compels me to search for him whenever I see the regulars. It amuses me that he takes his ego to the extent that he believes himself a god.

But...he's just...

Too much like **him**.

I could almost hear Janni (1).

_'You are so pathetic, Ru! Get up, go dress into something nice, call Atobe and the guys and tell them you wanna hang! Prove to them you're not a retarded whore! Prove you can have fun too.'_

Well, bullshit to you Janni. I am staying here and loafing around the house.

Then someone knocked on the door.

Oh, bullshit.

******

_**Nobody's POV**_

"Did we really have to pick her up to go to the movie theater?" Moaned Gakuto, stretching in Atobe's limo, as said diva's chauffeur walked up the steps in front of Rukia's house.

Atobe merely raised an eyebrow at Gakuto and the rest of his teammates.

"Why, ore-sama is being kind! And besides, did you not express your wishes to get to know her better yourself, Gakuto?"

"Drop the act, Atobe."

"Well, Gakuto, if you want ore-sama to 'drop the act', then ore-sama bades you a good 34 kilometer walk back to your house." Atobe suggested, gesturing to the door.

If Atobe was honest, which he is most certainly not, he would have told his teammates that there was another reason why he wanted to get to know Fujiwara Rukia, aside from the fact that Insight did not work on her.

Ever since Atobe had seen her in the gym, the true her, he'd had this unexplainable feeling of wanting to be close to her, wanting to know he was of some significance to the one and only girl in the whole of Hyoutei who did not bow to Atobe.

He wanted to be her...what? Friend? More than?

What was this? Why did he want to see her so much? She was nothing and yet, she was everything. It was like love at first sight.

She wasn't even close to looking like his dream girl. Sure, she was really pretty, but that was it. All that Insight had told him that this girl was hiding under a cave of hurt and anger. His dream girl was graceful, polite, and ever beautiful. Rukia may be pretty, but she was far from beautiful, she wasn't polite (really, the words she spoke would shame a Sicilian capo) and she was not the least bit graceful.

Did he hate her?

No.

Did he like her?

_That_, Atobe considered_, is a really good question._

_******_

_**Rukia's POV**_

Grumbling, I quickly tugged on a pair of skinny jeans.

My inner hermit crab was yelling at me to wear baggy jeans and maybe if, I was lucky, they would take one look at me and think I was the ugliest girl on this planet and run away screaming for their mommies.

But inner Janni would not rest. She sliced up the hermit crab and served it for dinner.

I swear, I do not know why Atobe and the guys are even bothering. Clearly, I am not up to their standards so why won't they just leave me alone?

I'm already through enough pain. They just need to double it by making me feel like a complete retard shit loner.

My eye twitched and I fingered the fabric of a deep blue sleeveless shirt that I had gotten on my birthday. It was deep blue, with light blue strips and a small blue ribbon with a mini pearl on it.

It had been given to me...by... my ex-boyfriend.

Was I ready to enter that phase? Was I ready to atcually start healing? Or would I just toil in hurt and betrayalment for the rest of my life?

That was another reason for keeping to myself. Trust could sometimes be placed in the wrong persons and I had been stupid enough to give it to Lee. And he had been stupid enough to abuse it.

Sighing, I pushed the shirt to the back of my closet and plucked out a dark purple sleeveless with turquoise beads embedded on the front. What I forgot was the inscription in the back. If I had seen it there and then, I would have removed that shirt faster than you could say 'ketchup'. But since, I didn't, I merely tugged it on and raced down the stairs, saying goodbye to my excited mom and my all too unwilling dad.

*******

_**Atobe's POV**_

I watched her during the ride to the movie theater.

Well, I wasn't the only one. Oshitari, Gakuto, Shishido, and Ootori were staring at her too. Scrutinizing this girl who had managed to deflect Insight and probably wondering what the hell was so special about her.

The only one who wasn't watching Fujiwara was Jirou. And that was because of the fact that he was actually talking to her.

I watched as Jirou's orange locks mized with her ebony ones. His curls grazed the side of her cheek as he talked animatedly.

Suddenly, I felt a disturbing twinge in my heart. Hm. Must be the heat getting to me.

Frowning, I didn't see Oshitari smirking at me.

Why was Jirou so close to Fujiwara? He'd known her for approximately the same amount of time I did her. But why was he the only one Fujiwara talked to without the slightest trace of shyness or complete indifference?

Like she was with me.

Fujiwara was indifferent to me. She had merely said hi to me when she slid inside the limo. Then everybody started beaning her with questions to get to know her better.

I, on the other hand, watched and was mesmerized.

At how her ebony hair falls and follows her every move in one single wave. How her lips twitch when she fights a smile at the complete stupidness only the Hyoutei Tennis regulars can offer. At how her hazel eyes sparkle when they survey the surroundings, even though they are hidden by her glasses. At how her slender hand grasps the leather seats when she gets excited.

I could tell she was surprised and albeit offended when we offered to be her friend. She thought it was out of pity. But, with Jirou's cheerfulness and Gakuto's... lack of... well, everything that is considered smart, she consented, with a shy smile of her own.

That smile...I would like her... to smile for me.

******

_**Rukia's POV **_

"What movie?" I asked, pointing at the various posters around theater.

I cast a quizzical look at them. They all looked dumbfounded. Obviously, they did not think of picking movies before actually getting to the movie theater.

The day was starting out fine. Hm. Might as well go with the flow.

"Okay, let's just watch...Twilight?" I peered at the cover. It looked promising. I had already watched the trailer once and it sounded awesome. I was SO rooting for Bella and Edward.

Being the supreme romantic that he was, Oshitari immediately nodded a yes.

The others grumbled, a bit unsure whether Oshitari Yuushi's taste was to be trusted.

"Hey, I really wanna watch this one. It's got some action in it, and enough kisses to keep you guys excited." More like puke-induced.

Seven pairs of eyes questioned my sanity.

"No, just kidding guys! Can we just watch it anyway even though there aren't enough dirty scenes for your boyish testosterone fueled minds?" I put on my puppy dog eyes.

They crumbled.

I so won.

*******

_**Atobe's POV **_

Okay, so it wasn't entirely by chance.

So maybe I had purposely sidestepped Oshitari to be able to sit next to Fujiwara.

So what?

And so I also had purposely chosen the very end of the row of seats so that no Jirou would be hogging all her attention.

So what?

I wanted to know what I was feeling for her. And I would find out.

I watched as Fujiwara's eyes brightened as the credits began to roll.

Throughout the whole movie, I watched her bite her bottom lip at the part where the blond haired vampire tricks the female lead into thinking that her mother is with him.

She grinned and blushed lightly at the kissing scenes. Her lips twitched at the humor. Her fingers drummed on the seat.

"Do you want some popcorn?" I asked. My lips were barely a millimeter from her ear.

I felt her stiffen as she felt my breath on her cheek. Pink colored her cheeks as she finally assessed how close we were.

Somehow, A smirk made its' way to my mouth. I liked seeing her blush.

"N-no, thanks anyway," She stuttered, bending her head down low.

Grinning, I pulled away to give her some space. The poor girl looked like she was hyperventilating.

******

_**Rukia's POV **_

This is so not happening.

Keigo Atobe did not just do...that.

He did not just blow into your ear. You do not feel static electricity now.

_Yeah right_, I snorted, _and when I see Shishido, I see flowers and hearts!_

Narrowing my eyes, I tried to focus my stare at the huge movie screen. James was trying to kill Bella.

"Ne, Ruki-chan, do you think Bella's going to die?" I turned to look at Jirou who was in the row in front of me and Atobe, self proclaimed womanizer.

"No, Jirou-kun, I don't think so. Edward'll come get her. Just wait." I replied confidently, shifting in my seat.

"How come you know and I don't?" Jirou pouted.

"I just do. Edward is that sort of guy who'll do anything for Bella." I smiled cheerfully at Jirou. He grinned at me then proceeded to watch with big, warm brown eyes.

Sighing, I shifted a little bit.

Gosh, hasn't Atobe ever heard of personal space? I can practically feel his body heat.

I blushed once, as I felt fingers playing with my hair. What the hell did Atobe think he was doing?!

Was he suicidal?!

******

_**Atobe's POV **_

Smiling, I absentmindedly started playing with her hair.

If Jirou had ways of to steal her attention, I had ways to get them back.

I looked over at her for her reaction and I was not disappointed.

Her cheeks turned from pale cream to bright pink to crimson red and then to a passable imitation of Gakuto's hair.

Sighing, I settled back into the seat and continued watching my own personal "movie".

******

_**Rukia's POV **_

Life sucks and then you die (2).

I thought about this as me and Atobe rode home. It was raining. All the other regulars had either been dropped off at their respectable homes, or left to amuse themselves in the Arcade, leaving me and Atobe alone.

Dear God save me.

"Mm... tell me, Fujiwara-san. Why are you so cold to me?" He asked. I could feel him pulling at my hair gently.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Atobe-san." I turned my head away and willed myself to squash the urge to throw something.

"See, Fujiwara-san? There you go again. You know, the whole reason I've been trying to get your attention is that you seem to like Jirou more than me," Atobe unleashed the power of his left eyebrow at me.

Stunned, I turned to look at him in disbelief.

He took the chance and whipped my glasses off.

"Hm...your eyes are beautiful, Fujiwara-san," He mumbled.

I felt goose bumps spread across my skin. I have a sickness! Take me home! Take me home I'm begging you!

Gently, he swooped down and kissed by right cheek lightly.

I was beyond shocked.

"What was that for?!' I squeaked.

He shrugged, smirking.

"It said so on the back of your shirt."

_'Kiss me now.' _

* * *

(1): Janni- is one of Rukia's more outgoing friends make in Hawaii.

(2): _Life sucks and then you die. _- Jacob's "introduction" to his side of the story in Breaking Dawn.

**GAH! What happens next? The suspense is killing me! (ironic, since I write this story) I'm sorry but you'll have to wait till I update again! I promise I'll speed it up! This fic is taking a major turn to AtobeXOC. I wanna hear your opinion, guys! Is Atobe OOC? Sorry if he is! Anyways, I am a total Twilight fan. I know it sounds suckish, believe me I also thought it was suckish when I first laid eyes on it. And here i am now, reading Breaking Dawn which is the last of the series. Thanks so much for reading! I love you all! And I want to thank you because without your continuing help and whatnot, I wouldn't have the imagination to make this fic!!!**

_**-Miyu **_


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey you guys! Thanks to those who reviewed! Anyway guys, I'm not forcing you to review or anything but...please? (puts on puppy dog eyes) Your reviews keep me fueled so no reviews, no fuel. No fuel, no energy. No energy, story will crash and burn. Okay? Once again, I'm not forcing you guys! Even a simple 'nice' would make my day! Anyway, I'm sorry if Atobe was a lot OOC in the last chapter! **

**Anyways, some facts about Rukia; **

**Name: Fujiwara Rukia**

**Age: 14 years old**

**Year: 3rd year at Hyoutei Gakuen**

**Family: Mother, father, little brother**

**Likes; Reading, listening and dancing to music, watching TV, surfing the net, practicing gymnastics**

**Attitude: Clumsy, hotheaded, impatient, potty mouth, friendly, sweet, cheerful, proud, trusting, trustworthy, silly, childish, half shy and half bold, sassy, silent**

**Over all attitude: **

**Rukia is a proud victim of multiple personality disorder.**

**She can be outgoing and spontaneous, and then turn shy and silent the next minute. She is quite clumsy at times, and loses interest quickly. She can be quite a hothead at times, and is very prone to provocation. **

**She is a bit like Carmen from the Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants. As soon as she gets the first drink of anger, she just can't stop. She'll keep shouting and shouting until you find a way to shut her up. Like shoving a hamburger into her mouth. **

**Rukia doesn't have patience with subjects like Math and is very proud, but not in the sense that Atobe is. **

**Rukia is emotional, she likes to emote. She sometimes unexplainably stares out the window when it's raining and starts singing love songs in an overly dramatic tone like there's no tomorrow. Then she cries. For no reason at all. Dear God save us all. **

**She also has the tendency to swear out loud and is quite opinionated. Rukia is afraid to try out new things, love, which is a first (I know she had a boyfriend but you'll find out later why love is a "first"). **

**Once you get to know her though, she's open and friendly and cheerful. She knows how to keep a secret and is someone who enjoys the feelings of being trusted. She's silly and childish at times, which heavily pokes her instinct to slash back with witty remarks at whoever insults her. **

**Indifferent to most, Rukia's already immune to the fact that people call her a lazy, immature git. **

**Woosh. This chapter was looong. 12 pages in Microsoft Word. I know you guys have had longer, but this is a record for me. Whee! **

**Okay then, let's start! Flames are welcome since I got this little thing called a fire extinguisher. **

**P.S.: All of these are in Rukia's POV so no need to label it.**

* * *

It was Monday morning and I was officially bordering on insanity.

Why, you ask?

Well, it must be partly because of the ride home with Atobe a couple of weeks ago (six, to be exact) and the fact I had been too slow to notice that he had never even uttered the word 'ore-sama' during the whole time.

Bordering on insanity, I tell ya.

I've been feeling all sorts of weird chills and I've been breaking into goose bumps whenever I accidentally hear his name ringing in my head.

Damn you, Keigo Atobe.

What was it with me? It had just been a simple kiss on the cheek. I shouldn't even be overreacting. It didn't mean anything.

Then why do I wish it did?

Why am I feeling this way?

But that was beside the point. The point was that kiss happened six weeks ago and Atobe had never even mentioned it NOT once.

So what, I was his play toy? He would just make me feel this hopeful and then act as if it never happened?

I hadn't even slept the night after that. I lay awake contemplating the possibilities. The possibilities that were squished after a few weeks of waiting.

I felt hurt for some reason. Why would he just...kiss my cheek and flirt with me when all he was going to do was give my parents a reason to send me to an asylum?

Shit! Why did it have to be like this?! My whole world was falling apart.

Reasons?

One; I did not LOVE Atobe Keigo. I simply had a... passing fancy for him. Crush sounds so naïve.

Two; He didn't seem to return the feeling. ANY FEELING AT ALL. It's like, he's emotionally detached himself from me. I get along great with the other regulars but with him it's either monosyllabic or non existent responses accompanied by the occasional grunt.

Three; I had been stalked numerous times for the past three weeks by various fan girls armed with posters and signs that demanded me to stop 'flirting' with the Hyoutei Regulars.

Groaning, I opened my locker and took my books out.

Feeling a sudden wave of dizziness, I shook my head and walked back a few steps.

This was a mistake, due to my clumsiness which was only supported by my sudden wave of vertigo.

I tripped.

Typical.

Grimacing, I braced myself from the impact of hard ground on my shoulder.

And...

Nothing.

All I felt was a sudden feeling of warm arms supporting my waist and my shoulders.

Eyes widening, I looked up at my savior.

And found a pair of warm brown eyes looking back at me.

**(A/N: You were expecting Atobe, ahn? (laughs) Don't worry, Atobe will get his time later. This is for all you JirouXRukia fans) **

"Jirou-kun!" I gasped, my cheeks colored pink.

"Ruki-chan! You really should be more careful you know! You could have hurt yourself," he grinned, wagging a finger at me.

He really was quite cute, with his crazy orange locks and wide anxious chocolate brown eyes. I loved looking at them, they reminded me of Cadbury and I loved said chocolate bar.

Of all the regulars, Jirou had been the first one to accept me. He had waited for me after school every day since the disastrous movie day and walked me home. His chatter left me happy and occupied. Not empty and alone like I used to be. I owed the guy a lot. He had also convinced the regulars to give me a try.

I couldn't help but smile at the boy's cheerfulness. Atobe took a backseat in the corner of my mind. For now.

Grinning, Jirou brushed my bangs away from my face, causing me to look like an overripe tomato.

I had never been used to these kind of things. Gakuto and Oshitari especially enjoyed it when I would turn into different shades of crimson whenever Jirou hugged me out of pure joy or caressed my face happily.

I felt his fingers touch my skin lightly, as he brushed another strand of black away from my eyes.

"You really are cute, ne, Ruki?"

I began stuttering but luckily, Jirou's eyes suddenly lit up as he remembered something he had watched on Sunday.

With wide chocolate brown eyes, he talked about a movie that concerned ninjas and whatnot called 'Attack of the Hamburger Ninjas'

Suddenly, Jirou stopped talking. He looked anxious.

"Eh? What's wrong, Jirou-kun?" I looked at him worriedly.

"I swear I saw a pair of dark blue eyes glaring at me... Ne, that was sorta scary..." Jirou's brows furrowed as he surveyed the gaggle of students.

My head whipped around and I too, searched the crowd. What kind of freak would glare at Jirou?

"What kind of blue?" I asked, spotting several different shades of said color.

Not much of Japanese were blue eyed. I think some of the people here were wearing contacts. Go figure.

"Dark, very deep. I don't think I've known any darker. I think I've seen those pair of eyes before... I don't know where though..." Jirou huffed his cheeks and pouted cutely.

"Never mind, Ruki-chan, I'll just continue," he grinned at me and proceeded blabbering about ninjas.

*******

I was struggling to keep my eyes open by second period.

Try as I might, I really couldn't care less about Math.

Especially not now.

My eyes searched the room for some form of putrid entertainment when my eyes alighted on Atobe.

We had all the classes together. Frankly, I was smart enough to be booked a slot as the school nerd. Yeah, well if I was a nerd then he was the supreme pinnacle of nerdy geeks. The dude just couldn't fail a single subject now could he?

It's not that he looked like a nerdy geek or whatever. Frankly, he looked like a supermodel/actor and whatnot. I so despised those people who were SO smart and were SO good looking and SO good at sports and just happened to know how to do EVERYTHING and also happened to like playing with girls' emotions.

So it was really quite a wonder why whenever my gaze alighted on Atobe, I felt goose bumps and my heart would drum out an extremely fast paced song that would have pleased the most metal of metal bands.

I was supposed to hate his guts. Why wasn't I hating his guts?!

"Fujiwara-san, please answer the problem on the board,"

I looked up to see my annoyed sensei. My face flushed beetroot red and I heard several chuckles among my classmates.

Traitors.

"Ah, eh, su-sure, sensei." I walked resolutely to the board, picked up a chalk, positioned myself in front of the problem and tried to look as if I was immersing myself in the wonders of Math.

I probably just ended up looking constipated.

My eyes swept across the board. Math was SO not my strong point.

I stared blankly at the string of jumbled at numbers and letters.

What the hell.

I was still staring at the board, chalk ready and absolutely failing to think of anything except for the floor to just come to already and swallow me whole.

Sighing, I finally whirled on my heel to look at sensei apologetically. Sensei Nakamura rolled her eyes at me.

"Fujiwara-san. This is your assignment. Please be ready to go to the front tomorrow morning, execute the needed processes, and explain how it's done." Sensei Nakamura said in a clipped tone.

"Tomorrow morning?" I sighed in defeat._ 'Oh just shove a toilet down my throat and get it done with already.' _

"Yes. Unless there's a problem with that?"

"No. None at all. Nakamura sensei."

Cough. I think I'm coming down with a cold.

******

Monday after classes found me waiting for the Hyoutei Regulars in their goddamn tennis courts.

I didn't even know how I got here. Jirou and Gakuto merely asked me to wait for them and I was lifted by Kabaji-kun to this fucking bench.

Sighing, I crossed my legs and stared blankly at a crack on the ground, ignoring the bunch of whores dutifully glaring at me.

I feel a migraine coming.

Glaring at the gate that led to my freedom, I contemplated how much life had changed during that faithful day that the Hyoutei Regulars had seen me without my shell.

A lot had changed in such a short span of time it was almost unbelievable. I had friends. Even though I was supremely annoyed at them for being so... them, they would cheer me up whenever someone taunted me. Gakuto amused me with his general stupidness. Oshitari amused me with his playboy ways. I amused him simply because of the fact that I used to think that Gakuto was a girl. A fact that had slipped out during morning practice two weeks ago. Jirou amused me with his childish actions that made my childish actions look like old woman habits. Shishido was amusing to tease. Choutarou was an extremely nice friend. Hiyoshi was just utterly, hilariously fun. Seriously, the evil, sadistic things Hiyoshi dreamt of doing to his beloved buchou in his sleep scared the crap out of me.

Atobe. I didn't even know him. He would always find a way to stay away from me. What had I done? Maybe he had finally taken a good look at me and said, 'Oh God, this is the girl I kissed? I better avoid her like the plague. She might get ideas.'

It hurt. It hurt worse than getting hit a thousand times by a train. It hurt to know I will never be good enough for him.

He was a stupid, narcissistic idiot who could spend an eternity and then some checking himself out in a mirror.

It was beyond annoying though, when my heart would immediately start up again when he was around.

It was so annoying I just wanted it all to stop.

Look at you, Rukia! I scolded myself 'You're acting all down and emo just because of that Atobe guy. Get your act together! Show him it doesn't bother you.'

I felt so annoyed. I had given him the pleasure of watching me sulk around. What I always hated about heartbreaks was that you would become emotionally unstable and give your ex the privilege of seeing that. Not that Atobe was my ex. Or friend or acquaintance or rival.

My eye twitched once. I wasn't going to give him anything. Anymore. I was just going to have to survive each Atobe-less day and do it cheerfully.

It didn't matter. I had always been the sort of girl who could cheer people right up into thinking she was happy when all she wanted to do was breakdown and cry.

Woah. That is one for the Book of Quotes.

Sighing, I shifted in my seat absentmindedly.

Suddenly, Jirou came slumbering over, his head hung low.

My eyes widened as he found his pillow.

My lap.

Smiling as I felt him snuggle to fit his head into my lap, I ran a hand through his hair.

He had been such a great friend.

I really missed this feeling.

Closing my eyes, I was blissfully unaware of a deep, dark set of blue eyes watch me and Jirou with evident anger and frustration.

*****

Did life hate me?

Did life hate me so much that it just HAD to rain after we had gone to the Arcade (Gakuto's request) and played mindless games, while I was just trying to wheedle out of having to spend the ride home in luxurious cream seats?

"There's no point in walking home, Ruki!" Jirou had pointed out happily as soon as the torrents of rain fell.

I silently cursed Jirou in my head. There was also NO point in being the last one dropped home by a piece of cement chunk who goes by the name Atobe.

Finally, I breathed as I spotted the cream walls of my house as we neared my safety port.

The ride had been silent and the tension had been so thick you could have cut it up and served it on a plate.

"Fujiwara." His voice cut the silence. His tone was ice cold.

"Hm?" I murmured, eyes still outside his window. Just a few more blocks...

"Why?"

His questions stunned me.

"Why what?" I asked, eyebrows raised.

"Why are you avoiding ore-sama?"

My eyes widened but I kept my voice cool.

"I haven't been avoiding you Atobe-san. Quite the reverse if you ask me,"

"Don't play stupid, girl. Ore-sama knows you've been avoiding him."

Girl?Girl?! GIRL?!?!?!?!?

"I have a name you know. And I have not been avoiding you. I try to get to know you better but you keep on edging away." I glared at the carpet, imagining burning holes through Atobe's head with a laser gun.

"Once again, you seem to like Jirou more than ore-sama," He was frowning.

"Tell me Atobe! Tell me then! How can I NOT like Jirou more than you?! He's friendly to me. He's never ever ignored me. You've been avoiding me. Ever since you kissed my cheek and flirted with me during that movie. I just- I just wish you never did that! It's not convenient that I spend every fucking second of my life wondering if you meant it or not! It just sickens me Atobe! Tell me, did you really want to be my friend, or was that just a stupid cover to let the public know you just LOVE the little nerds of this world?! Because it hurts, did you know that? It hurts that I like you and you made me hope and just...disappeared!" I was shouting now, tears streaming down my cheeks.

He looked stunned.

I sobbed and shook, my hands flew to cover my face.

"Rukia I-"

I didn't care anymore. Violently, I shoved the limo door open, got out of a moving car, fell down badly, scraped one knee then ran home.

Distantly, I could hear him shout my name, but it hurt too much. I loved him. That was the truth. And he had only used me for enjoyment. He didn't, never, ever did love me back

Tears slid down my face, mixing with rain.

As soon as I reached our front door, I swung it open to be met by my mother who looked anxious.

Sobbing, I took of full speed to my room and locked the door.

Seconds later, with my face smushed against a pillow, I was faintly annoyed to remember that he had said my name without the usual 'ore-sama' nonsense.

This failed to make me feel the slightest bit better.

And I was fairly certain it wasn't supposed to.

* * *

**Ah that was a long chapter. Sorry if I've bored you out. The plot was emo and the words totally lame, I know. I just really needed a break from real life. Anyways, review, review, please. Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**ME ON SUGAR HIGH: Thanks so much to those who reviewed! Anyways, news, people. My best friend finally made an account here in FFnet! Whoo! Her pen name is zumikamesuzu and she's...totally gonna kill me for making a special mention. Ah, whatev. This is for her own good! She's making a story where Niou turns into a girl, and I think it's going off to a great start. All I'm asking is, do you guys mind checking her story out and telling her your opinions? Thanks! Anyways, thanks SO much to those who reviewed! I owe you guys a lot for bringing me back from the dead. Each reviewer gets COOKIES!!! *hands out chocolate chip cookies* **

**I love you all! Okay, so to make this chapter work, I kind of made the day after the ride with Atobe a holiday. Flames are welcome since I got this little thing called a fire extinguisher. **

* * *

**Rukia's POV **

Hurt. Destroyed. Partially Insane.

Curse you Keigo Atobe.

Sniffling, I reached into my duvet and pulled out a bar of Cadbury chocolate.

Only a bar of chocolate containing billions of calories could cheer me up now.

Well that pretty much summed up my life now. Lie in bed, mourn about life, and get fatter by the nanosecond.

This wasn't fair. I just couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't spend my entire existence holed up in my room crying over an egoistic moron who probably already forgot about me. It was just too much.

It was just the truth that I would never ever be able to laugh with him, to even talk to him or hold his hand. He had never loved me that way and I was stuck groveling in this stupid fantasy that maybe for a second there, he actually cared.

Seeing his face in my mind brought about a fresh round of tears. Sobbing, I smushed my face into my pillow, feeling a slight wave of depression overcome me. As if I needed anymore.

As if I needed anymore reminding that I would never be any good for him, and yet, I would always be there, hoping for his love, waiting in the sidelines, waiting for something that would never come.

Suddenly, I heard the creak of my bedroom door as someone walked in, releasing my A.C. coldness.

"_Oh, _Rukia," I heard that voice and my head immediately snapped up.

That familiar bush of silver hair, with that stupid ponytail of his. His flashing green eyes. _God, Niou, such great timing._

"Rukia, what have you done to yourself?" I heard his voice cloud up with annoyance. Stupid childhood friends and their stupid uncanny ability to show up at the most stupid times.

"Don't talk." I motioned my hand to a stop sign. I knew I looked horrible. My hair was a mess, my eyes were red, and my clothes were all rumpled and hobo-looking.

I felt a cool hand run through my back and turned to look at Niou with big confused eyes.

He wasn't usually this sympathetic. My best childhood friend was a manly man and had long ago left his girly, feminine side to burn and rot in hell. Usually, he could be expected to start laughing at my distorted, dishelved, disgusting self.

He looked back at me with cool green eyes that conveyed understanding.

"Why are you here?" My voice was hoarse. I lifted a hand to stifle a gasp as emotions took over me again. I hadn't seen Niou in almost a year. What was he doing here? We had lost complete contact ever since he was left in Japan while my family whisked me away to Hawaii.

"Your mom told me, Ru. Did you really think you could get over Atobe this easily?" His voice was scathing, but his hand moved gently to rub my back.

"'Haru, I can't do this anymore..." I murmured, burying my head into his lap.

"Nobody said you had to, Ru." I felt like I was the same small, silly, kid who used to hang out with Niou in the playground south of the park. I was always the one who ended up crying for the smallest reasons and he would always be there to help me. Of course, that was before we moved to Hawaii and he completely broke all forms of communication.

"Why does it always have to happen to me?" I sniffled a bit, looking up to green orbs.

"I don't know, Rukia." He rolled his eyes.

We sat there in silence, me stifling a hiccup now and then, and his hand moving in steady rhythm against my back.

"Do you love him, Ru?" His voice came out of the blue and I was a bit surprised with the question.

"Y-yes, I think." I looked down in shame. He forced me to look at him.

"Rukia Fujiwara. You. Are. In. Love." His eyes gleamed with amusement and all solemnity gone. I had the sudden urge to punch him.

"I know, you moronic retard! Otherwise, I wouldn't be crying, now would I?" I looked at him in annoyance. Then the sudden impact of his words stunned me. I was in love. I was in love with someone who didn't love me back.

I hated love.

"Aw, sweetie, it happens. Sometimes you're the dog. Sometimes you're the hydrant." I was leaning against his chest and I could feel him laughing deep in there. It annoyed me so much I could spit.

"So you're telling me Atobe peed on me?" I rolled my eyes.

"Ew. Bad mental images. Anyway, answer all of these honestly Rukia. Does he make you happy?" He looked solemn again.

I was about to say a flat out NO. He did not make me happy. Confused, angry, hurt, yes. Happy, no.

But then I thought about that day when we had our first ride together, and the fact that he kissed my cheek. I had wished it had meant something. Did that mean I liked him? Did that mean he made me happy?

That day... after the movie, I had felt happy beyond recognition. I was in a happy bubble for days. I didn't know why, I just was.

It took me until now to figure out why.

I had fallen in love.

I had fallen, and fallen hard at that. I had kept waiting for a sign from Atobe, anything to know that what happened had happened and it wasn't just a crazy dream.

He HAD made me happy.

"Yes, Niou. He did," I closed my eyes, feeling a sudden twinge of pain.

"Then, what's the problem? Your mother told me you went home last night wet with a bleeding knee and a glare that could wipe off all mankind. And then you said something about 'Atobe' so I figured Atobe had something to do with it."

"He flirted with me Niou. We went to the movies; he flirted with me and kissed me on the cheek during the ride back home. I had my hopes up. Then he ignored me for six weeks. That's the problem. After he got my hopes up he was just going to-to disappear?" I almost wailed in despair. Dimly, I noticed his arms tighten around me.

Looking up, I saw his eyes darken.

"Rukia." He let out a sigh. "Is there any OTHER guy you've met who makes you happy? Besides me, of course," He grinned suddenly.

I whacked his head. "There is Jirou..." I murmured.

"There you go. Problem solved." He grinned at me. Something was off about his grin. It seemed void of emotion.

I couldn't love Jirou. I loved him like a best friend, like a little brother. But as a lover? I couldn't. He had always been there for me, always made me feel better. Maybe I should love him.

"You don't love him, do you?" Niou squinted at me. I blinked. Amazing, really. This guy was psychic.

"How'd you know?" I asked him.

"It was written all over your face, Ru. It looked like a constipated man choosing between two brands of toilet paper." My childhood friend grinned again. Sometimes I wonder how we ended up being friends.

"You can't feel anything that your heart doesn't want to feel, Rukia." He murmured, rubbing my back again. "And besides. I think Atobe loves you too. He's probably just confused. Well, as far as confused goes for Atobe, yeah."

I settled into his cool embrace. I didn't notice, but I had always been yearning for my childhood friend back. I wanted everything to feel stable again, and Niou was the supreme pinnacle of cemented stable.

"Thanks, 'Haru." I whispered quietly.

"Hn," he muttered, embarrassed. I grinned.

"Hey, 'Haru?" I muttered, half in sleep, half out. But I wasn't going to let a golden opportunity like this pass up. Oh no I was not.

"Eh?"

"Since when did you become such a girl?"

"Go to sleep Rukia. You're obviously insane and emotionally unstable at this point. You're hallucinating." I heard his playful voice echo in and out of my head.

Drifting to sleep, I didn't hear him whisper words that were carried away by my A.C. cold winds.

'_You've got him now, Rukia. I wish I never broke it off. I wish I could be the one who was filling your heart now, because you know I would. I would fill every bit of it. I would never break it like he did. I love you Rukia.' _

_*******_

Atobe was going insane.

Atobe, the gracious ore-sama, was going insane.

Atobe didn't get any sleep last night. His eyes had huge bags under them. He had drunk a grand total of seventeen cups of coffee during the past two hours, and his hair was just...lying there.

Gasp, oh gasp.

Growling, Atobe picked up one of my phones and keyed in a number.

"Yes?"

"Ore-sama would like a manicure,"

"Alright, Atobe-sama. I'll send one right over."

"Goodbye,"

"Goodbye Atobe-sama."

Groaning inwardly because an Atobe never shows distress, Atobe sat down on a cream loveseat.

What the hell was wrong with him? He had been feeling jumpy and insecure ever since... ever since...

Ever since the disastrous car ride with a certain Fujiwara Rukia yesterday.

Atobe still remembered how wounded she had looked when she shouted at him.

She had said she liked him.

Atobe would never admit this to anyone, but last night, he had climbed into bed with a weary heart, and was terrified to find out he had been crying.

He had messed it up. Big time.

After what he had done during the movies, Atobe had felt insecure and lonely. He realized now what his feelings for the girl were.

They were love.

But still, a part of Atobe had denied that fact. Love did not exist. In the world of money, and business, there was no such thing as love.

So he had foolishly acted as if nothing had happened. The truth was he was afraid. He was afraid that Rukia would be the only girl in school who did not return his feelings.

His feelings... no matter how miniscule they were, they could still tell love from like.

And this feeling was so much more than just like.

Love. Just a four letter word. A four letter word that scared the crap out of ore-sama.

Why? Because he was afraid of rejection, he recoiled away from it. And he had almost been certain that Rukia loved Jirou and not him.

Until she had told him, of course.

But even then he had messed it up. Rukia was hurt that he had raised her hopes only to disappear. What she didn't know was that her hurt was a million times magnified into Atobe.

And now... and now what? He had fallen in love with Rukia. That was it. That was the truth. And she had maybe liked him. But not anymore, and Atobe could scarcely blame her.

But he wanted it right. He was going to apologize to her. He was going to win her back. He was going to show her he loved her above all things.

Not because they were false. But because they were true. They were truer than anything Atobe had ever uttered besides the fact that he was the most beautiful thing on earth. And even that had been a lie.

He had fallen in love with the most beautiful thing on earth.

And not because of her looks... it was because of every single fault she possessed.

She made every single fault seem like an unfathomable gift.

The decision was made.

He would win her back. Even if it took him everything he owned.

And seeing he was Atobe, he owned quite a lot.

******

Niou walked home, hands in his pockets, contemplating on the events that had happened earlier that day.

He had seen Rukia. That was what he had wanted all along. To see her smile at him, her hazel eyes twinkling.

But he had found her in a different stage. She was broken.

He had fixed her. But there was still one missing piece.

And only Atobe could fill that piece.

Niou resented ever breaking off all communications between him and Rukia. He just hadn't wanted to hurt anymore. He didn't want to feel empty from missing her, so he thought maybe if he forgot her, he would soon move on.

But that was partially insane.

He couldn't forget her. He himself had proved that. So he had merely tried to hide this weak side of his to his all too annoying teammates.

He loved her. That was it. He loved her ever since they started playing when they were little kids.

But know she had someone else. Niou mentally cursed himself.

Maybe if he hadn't broken it off, he would be the one with Rukia. He would be the one hugging her and holding her hand. She would always come to his matches and cheer him on. She would wait for him after practice and be the one to hand him towels and water bottles and complain about his man smell. They could have been together. They could have been happy.

But he was just her friend.

_Her friend_, Niou promised grimly,_ who will always be there for her._

Whatever Rukia needed, Niou would be.

Even if that was just a Goddamn fucking friend.

Closing his eyes contentedly, Niou let out a sigh.

It was enough to know she needed him although not the way he needed her. It was enough to be loved by that little insignificant nerd who would just walk out of the blue, take your life and jumble it around to her liking. Then she would smile happily at you and say 'It's better this way'.

And you couldn't help but agree with her.

* * *

**Well that's the end for chappie 5! Hope you liked it... Anyways, please review, review and tell me your opinions! Is Niou OOC? I bet he is. I know, it's not much of a JirouXOC now. It's pretty much turned into a NiouXOC, but don't worry! There'll be major AtobeXOC moments next chapter, I promise! See ya when I see ya and review please!**

_-__**Miyu**_


	6. AtobeXRukia Ending

**Hello people! Okay, thanks SO much to those who reviewed. I'll be writing alternative endings thanks to the brilliant idea of xXKimochiWatariXx! So basically, there's going to be an Atobe ending, a Jirou ending, and a Niou ending. Okay, Atobe ending first! Today is their prom okay? This is for all AtobeXRukia fans! **

**Flames are welcome since I got this little thing called a fire extinguisher. **

* * *

**Rukia's POV**

I glared at my reflection in the mirror. Stupid prom. Stupid dress. Stupid high heels.

I had already told my mom I wouldn't be going since I was emotionally wounded and would no be getting better any sooner but she had only clucked her tongue and told me I was insane.

Mothers.

Granted, the dress wasn't that bad. It wasn't floor length or had 18th century cuffs or anything. All in all, it was kind of nice. It was deep blue silk, edged with black lace. There was also a black corset that had the cutest abstract design on it. The skirt hung limp but moved when I walked, swishing this way and that way. It hung directly below my knees.

My eyes were enveloped by a pair of clear contact lenses just for the occasion. I missed my glasses.

My hair was down and I had curled it to the extent that it would bounce of my shoulders. A black curtain with blue streaks, courtesy of temporary hair dye.

Courtesy of temporary hair dye that I wasn't supposed to be using.

Grinning, I walked down the stairs.

"Aw, sweetie, don't you look- What the hell did you do to your hair Fujiwara Rukia?!?!"

*****

**Atobe's POV **

_'You can do it. C'mon, Atobe. It's just asking the girl out to the stupid prom. Although you **could** have picked an earlier date than the prom day itself to ask her_.' Inner Gakuto was driving me insane.

I shook my head as we pulled up in front of the Fujiwara household.

I couldn't back out of it now. I wanted to make things right.

Pulling myself together, I crossed the threshold in two giant steps and rang the doorbell.

The door opened and I was greeted by the sight of Rukia in her prom dress.

She looked beautiful. The deep blue dress contrasted with her skin, creating a soft, peachy glow. The corset hugged her just right, boasting of curves. Her hair was curled and bouncing, with streaks of blue.

But it was her eyes that captured me.

They were, as always, enchanting. She was wearing contacts, but that did nothing to hide her eyes. They portrayed mixed emotions. At first there was mirth, then shock, followed by hurt, then came the supreme fireworks of rage.

Dear God.

"Keigo Atobe! What are YOU doing here?" I winced. Her voice was sharp, and it cut through me like ten thousand bread knives. Why bread knives, ore-sama does not know.

*****

**Rukia's POV**

The ride to the prom was quiet. No one was talking. Hunk of cement all the way.

"Fujiwara-san, ore-sama is sorry for what he has done." Said hunk of cement declared.

"I don't know any 'ore-sama' Atobe. I only know an Atobe Keigo and I don't even know him well." My voice was cold. I began playing with the hem of my dress.

He winced. "Look, Rukia. I'm sorry for what I've done. I didn't know that you felt that way about me. I thought you liked Jirou. If I had known you liked me that way then I would have... I would have..." I watched as he struggled for words.

"You would have what, Atobe? Ignored me for six weeks just because I'm not up to your standards?" I asked menacingly.

"No." he looked pained. "I would have told you I love you because that's what I feel."

What. The. Fuck.

My eyes widened as I processed this bit of information.

Atobe loved me?

Atobe loved _me_?

_Atobe_ loved me?

Atobe _loved_ me?

Nope. Still sounded wrong.

"Rukia? Rukia are you alright?" he looked worried. He was shaking my hand repeatedly.

"Yeah I'm fine," I replied sheepishly, brushing my bangs away.

There was a wetness between my fingers. I was crying?!

Dear God.

"I have a question, Atobe." I murmured softly.

He looked relieved, and then, unsure.

"Why did you ignore me?"

"Because I couldn't take the feeling that you liked Jirou more than you liked me. I'm afraid of rejection, Rukia. I was scared that you did not feel for me the way I did you,"

Silly monkey.

"You do love me, right?" he asked me in a quiet voice.

"Oh no, I don't love you. I just spend the whole of yesterday crying my eyes out for the heck of it." I rolled my eyes, my lip was twitching upward.

I felt so happy. I never thought that he would like me, let alone love. Maybe this is what it's like to really be in love. This made my relationship with Lee look like a hairy man's armpit.

Ew.

"So if you love me...and I love you... then that means...?"I gazed into his deep dark set of blue eyes and then it hit me.

_He_ had been the one glaring at Jirou in the hallway.

He was smiling. He offered me his hand and I took it.

We got out of his limo (still would be insulting if called car) and into the school parking lot.

"Ne, Atobe-" I began.

"Keigo. You are to call me Keigo."

"Ne, Keigo. Why do you love me?"

He raised his eyebrows at me. "Because you are the most perfectly imperfect being that walks the earth."

I smiled. I liked the sound of that.

"Why do you think I love you?" I asked him again.

"Well that's really easy." He snorted. "It's me, of course you love me. I mean, it _is _me."

I rolled my eyes. Stupid inflated ego.

"Are you going to stop saying ore-sama?" I grinned. We had entered the hallway and people were ogling the great ore-sama who was towing the little nerd on one arm.

"That depends." He looked uncomfortable.

"If you don't stop saying it, I will forever loathe you and you will die old and miserable without feeling what it's like to be loved." I sang.

"I will stop saying it." He said quickly. I laughed.

"Will YOU promise to stop hiding your beauty from others?" He smirked at me.

I paused.

"Not fair! You're playing dirty!" I wailed, clinging to his arm as we passed the crowds to claim a space on the dance floor.

"It's either THAT or ore-sama will start saying ore-sama again,"

"Meanie!" I huffed then added; "Fine. I will stop trying to hide my beauty from other unworthy people. Just don't be surprised when I start wearing a bikini and going to all the bad neighborhoods in this country."

He let out a chuckle and I proceeded to whack his head.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked.

"Seriously Keigo, were you born in the late eighteenth century or what? Stop speaking medieval!" I groaned a little bit, but seeing his insulted face, I paused and enveloped him in a hug.

"I could get used to this." He murmured against my shoulder.

"Shut up and dance." I rolled my eyes. But in spite of my tone, I was smiling happily up at him.

"I love you Fujiwara Rukia."

"I love you Atobe Keigo."

"Seriously, you guys are SO sappy."

"GAKUTO!"

"Yuushi! Save me!"

* * *

**Aw... Atobe and Rukia...forever... and ever... and ever...dear God save us all.**

**Did you guys like it? Was it uber lame? I'm sorry if it was! I really did try my best! I can redo this if you guys want! But since the story's almost over, I really want to please you guys! After the Niou ending, there's going to be a sort of Author's note and I hope you guys find the time to read it! It connects to the title. **

**THANKS SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING! I'M GONNA MISS YOU ALL AFTER THIS!!!**

**~Miyu**


	7. JirouXRukia Ending

**Hello minna! Anyways, here's the Jirou ending! Oh, and guys... I don't think I'll be on the net for the rest of the vacation (waaah!!) coz we're moving on April 8th. It's not that far, but the computer stays in our old house. Gr. I'll try to convince my parents not to abandon my PC!! Or I could just stow it away... in a big trunk. And be forced to lift it up 2 flights of stairs. I'll find a way... oh I will... XD. Flames are welcome since I got this little thing called a fire extinguisher. Major Atobe moments at first, but then turns to Jirou at the end. **

* * *

**Rukia's POV **

Did Atobe really make me happy?

I pondered this in my room, pre-prom madness just ebbing away at the edges of my mind.

Sure, I told Niou he did... but were those insane moments of utter bliss really equivalent to happiness..??

I mean, what kind of psychopath would base their feelings on a person on only a few minutes?

I needed therapy.

My brows furrowed as I twisted the hem of my prom dress between my fingers.

Ironic really that the prom date should fall just a day after my heartbreak. You would think that the world hated me.

I walked in front of the mirror, my newly curled (and against the rules temporarily dyed) hair with the blue streaks bouncing on my shoulders. I had NOT wanted to go to the stupid prom at all because of the emotional wounds that would take forever (and then some) to heal, but my mom had taken one look at me, clucked her tongue and declared me insane.

Some loving mother.

All in all though, I liked the dress. It was a deep blue with black lace at the edges, and reached up to below my ankles. It also had an ebony corset that hugged me just right. The skirt swished when I walked.

Decorating my bare neck was a thick silver necklace with a blue butterfly charm dangling from it.

But when it came to heels... oh NO. I put my foot down. I could barely walk in heels. Let alone dance. I'd probably go home with two broken feet. So I was stuck with my favorite pair of dark blue flats with the silver ribbon.

I looked at myself in the mirror. The contacts were like a clear film, allowing me a bird's eye view of my room. I miss my glasses.

Who really did make me happy?

I frowned, then looked into my eyes. Hazel met hazel. My eyes looked dead. Happiness total; zilch, nada, zip, zero.

When had my eyes last looked alive?

I couldn't answer that question.

Except for that...

No, every single moment I spent with Jirou had been filled with joy and silliness.

He had made my life feel happy and carefree. He had never hurt me. He had always been there.

I had told Niou I didn't care for him.

Was it true?

Did I even think it over when I told my childhood friend?

Did I love Jirou?

True, I liked him a lot. He was always so sweet, so caring and loyal. But I thought I only liked him as a brother.

My heart raised faster as I thought about his warm chocolate brown eyes and the way his orange locks would graze his cheeks whenever he bowed down or jumped up in excitement.

I uttered a light laugh when I remembered how sweet and thoughtful he was. He would always ask me how I was every time we would pass along each other. Even if his class was WAY over there, he would hook arms with me and tow me away to MY class.

I remembered the time when we used to share bento cause he would always either forget his, or it would fall from his sleepy hands and lie dead on the ground.

He would talk mindlessly about EVERYTHING, about how high Gakuto's jump was, about how many novels Oshitari had been reading (no more than 30), about how much Hiyoshi wanted to kill Atobe and take the crown of Hyoutei for himself. I would always listen and laugh.

He had made me feel happy... so happy...

Maybe I could do the same for him.

I could learn to love him.

Not because I wanted to get back at Atobe, but simply because he made me happy.

I could be happy with him, could be happy without getting hurt. Ever. I know he would never hurt me if...

If only he loved me back.

What if he didn't? How horrible would that be? What kind of twisted, deformed, form would I take after my feelings got rejected, found a new love, then got rejected again?

I felt my breathing hitch again. Was I really this bad at love?

But what if he did? What if he did love me?

I shook my head once, feeling my chest tighten considerably.

If I was going to do it, I would regret it. If I wasn't going to do it, I would spend the rest of eternity wondering what would happen if I did do it. So I might as well do it.

******

Deep in thought, I walked down the stairs, completely forgetting about the forbidden hair dye.

"Aw, sweetie you look- what the hell did you do to your hair Fujiwara Rukia?!"

*****

Chuckling, I made my way to the front door as the ringing doorbell continued. My parents hadn't taken the temporary hair dye too well. I had to shout three times over the din that it would come off after a good, long, (fifteen hour) wash. And even by then my mother was still hyperventilating.

Grinning, I opened the door only to be met by...

Atobe.

My throat went dry when I saw him. At first, I was surprised, then I began to see red. And this red was a very, very, dark red.

"Keigo Atobe! What are YOU doing here??!!" I roared, curls flying.

He winced.

I felt a strange sort of triumph settle deep inside me.

But then, as sudden as it come, it was gone as I realized I no longer loved him.

Keigo Atobe was no longer the captor of my heart.

*****

So he loved me?

I blinked. Once. Twice. Several times. He stared at me with composed dark blue eyes.

The tension was thick. I was still dumbfounded.

Oh, life, how I hated you. Why was it that I only found out about Atobe's feeling towards me now? Why now? Why now when I no longer felt anything for him?

I saw his mouth open hesitantly, but I beat him to it.

"Atobe," I began. He stopped abruptly and stared at me with eyes that were ready for rejection.

"I loved you. I loved you very much, Atobe. But you hurt me. When you ignored me, it was like you didn't even care anymore. You're the one who went through all the trouble to make friends with me and you just- just disappeared. You know that hurts, right? How was I supposed to feel?" I felt surprised when fat tears fell from the corner of my eyes. Impatiently, I wiped them away.

"I'm sorry," His face was white. He raised an arm as if to comfort me.

"I forgive you Atobe. But it's not like that anymore. I just can't love someone who's caused me this much pain. I can't take it anymore. I'm sorry," I hung my head in shame and was surprised to be pulled into a cool embrace.

"Don't ever be sorry," he gritted his teeth. "I was an idiot, I know. I know I hurt you. It's not your fault. But please don't blame yourself. It hurts me too, do you know that? I love you. I always will, but you deserve someone better, Rukia. You always did deserve Jirou,"

I lifted wide, surprised eyes to look at him.

"Atobe I-"

"Keigo. You are to call me Keigo." He smiled, squeezed me once, then let go.

"Thank you Keigo. I'm sure whoever girl gets you will be so, so, happy. You're a good guy," I smiled.

I felt so happy and light. It was like a burden had been lifted off my chest.

"Ore-sama takes that as a compliment," Atobe rolled his eyes and leaned back into his old self.

"I love you too, Keigo." I snorted, look exasperated as possible.

"Not as much as I love you. Or as much as you love Jirou," he let out a laugh.

I felt tears gathering in my eyes again. I knew how much it hurt to be rejected like that.

"Keigo, I'm so sorry, look, maybe I could love you, maybe I could fix this-"

"Rukia, you insane, beautiful person. No. Don't do that. You love Jirou." Atobe waved his fingers at me.

"But you- I've caused so much pain, Keigo."

"I'll live, Rukia." He smiled sadly at me, then opened the door.

We had reached the school parking lot.

I whirled around and hugged him tight.

"I'm so sorry, Keigo! I am so so so so-"

"Rukia. You are a blubbering idiot. It's not your fault." He rolled his eyes at me and I raised and eyebrow. I may be stupid, I may be also be a bundle of crazy, but I was NOT a blubbering idiot, thank you very much.

"Go get him," He whispered then gestured to a bundle of what looked to be a garbage bag with carrot tops on the lid. On closer inspection though, it was actually a sleeping orange haired human asleep under a tree.

I smiled a grateful smile at Atobe and he responded with a wink and walked gracefully of to the ballroom.

I sat down beside Jirou, smiling at his sleeping form. Of course. Fall asleep at the pinnacle of important school events. It was so Jirou.

Absentmindedly, I ran my hand through his hair. He stirred and blinked, looking up at me with big brown eyes.

"Ne, Rukia-chan?" He looked confused.

"You fell asleep, Jirou. You're lucky you didn't get run over by a truck or something," I rolled my eyes.

"Oh right." He scratched the back of his head. "I was supposed to walk in as soon as I got here but I took one look at the stars and I just had to count them,"

I looked up at the sky and was stunned. Stars decorated every single corner of the midnight sheen. They twinkled, they danced, they twirled. I watched as one extremely bright one seemed to sparkle in and out of existence.

"Pretty, aren't they?" He smiled happily and at that exact moment, my heart started doing the cha-cha.

"Yeah." I agreed quietly. Silence consumed us.

"Listen, Rukia-"

"Hey Jirou-"

We looked at each other, mildly disturbed.

"You go first," I smiled at him.

"Eh, okay. You see...I always thought... you... and I... well, Oshitari and Gakuto told me that I should tell you before...well, before...Atobe took you...so. And today just seemed like the best day so... So I just wanted to tell you that... that... I just wanted to tell you that... that..."

"I LOVE YOU FUJIWARA RUKIA!!!"

I was stunned. So he did? He did? I guess he did. Did he? Did he really? Well of course he did. He just said so. Didn't he? God. Therapy, four times a week for a month.

Suddenly, I realized he was staring at me with wide, apprehensive eyes.

"No need to shout it to the whole world, Jirou." I let out a laugh and threw my arms around him.

"So..So.. you love me too?" He asked me happily.

"Oh no. I just hugged you for absolutely no reason. I am also crying because the weather's been very mild." I pretended to fan myself.

He grinned happily and pulled me closer.

Together, we watched the stars.

* * *

**Didja guys like that chappie? Jirou and Rukia are so cute... Ok, it was a lot longer than the Atobe ending, but that was because Atobe, being Atobe, just HAD to make it longer. XD. Niou ending next, then Author's Note. Hope you guys liked my story! I LOVE YOU ALL TO DEATH!! Please review and I am willing to redo chapter... Niou ending coming UP!!! **

**_~Miyu_**


	8. NiouXRukia Ending

**Yo minna! Okay, so we're moving week after next. Mom's already telling me to pack and I'm like, hello! Week after next? And I'm gonna pack NOW? What the hell will I wear for the next eleven days when all my clothes are packed and ready to go? ^_^ Sorry... just emoting here. I'm still trying to find out if my beloved computer will be coming me with or if I will be left with 2 more months of vacation with nothing but non-electric human made objects to entertain me. What is it with parents? Kids and computers are a package deal. Take 'em or leave 'em. XD, anyways, here's the Niou ending! Hope you guys enjoy reading!!! Flames are welcome since I got this little thing called a fire extinguisher. **

**WARNING: OVER-USE OF THE WORD PINNACLE. I just love that word. Anyways, there will be a guest appearance of the T-shirt Lee gave Rukia here. Please wave your hands in greeting. **

* * *

**Niou's POV**

"I don't get it Niou. Why don't you just tell her?" Marui clacked his gum impatiently.

"Because, you stupid, ignorant ball of fat, she doesn't feel the same way!" I sighed, exasperated. Sheesh. I knew I should have gone to Yukimura if I wanted good, _sane_, advice.

But my choices were pretty limited. Buchou was at the hospital, Sanada was a piece of granite, Yanagi was too much of a data man (didn't want news of this getting to Alaska), Yagyuu was on another one of his golf adventures, Jackal was no where to be found, and the bratling was too preoccupied with his new coloring book to pay any attention.

Thus, Marui Bunta, self proclaimed tensai.

Some tensai this pillock was proving to be. I would have done better with a rock.

"I know that Niou. But, my sweet hippie friend, you'll have to tell her sooner or later or Yukimura'll be forced to send you to an asylum."

"Did my _understanding_, overrated, _pleasantly plump_, FAT, friend just call me a hippie?" I smiled sweetly at Bunta.

"Oh _no_. I'm simply implying your hair is so long that people would have mistaken you for a girl despite your clearly disfigured looks," Marui beamed at me.

"And you, my friend, are so calorie filled I'm not surprised if you just... sink and melt into the ground forever. Wouldn't it look lovely? A puddle of desecrated donut on the stone floor," I grinned.

Looking at each other, we both burst into laughter.

"But, seriously dude. You've gotta tell her how you feel, even if she doesn't feel the same. It'll help you a lot."

But if I told her...where would our friendship be?

More importantly, would it still exist?

*****

**Rukia's POV**

Life's got many twists.

Life's got many turns.

Life's got many bumps.

And I was on the supreme pinnacle of twisty, turny, bumpy, suicide roads.

There should have been a sign on the right saying _'If you feel you have no purpose in life, no one loves you anymore (if they ever did), and you've failed everyone, please take a turn to the right. Instant death guaranteed. It'll be like you NEVER existed! Ain't that wonderful?' _

I pondered this as I stowed my prom dress away. I specifically told my mom I was not going due to the fact of supreme insanity that was settling over me, but she merely made these funny clucking noises and told me I had lost my marbles. Right, as if. I knew for a fact that my marbles were in a small wooden box I kept in my drawer.

On second thought, maybe I was going insane. Huh. Was there such a thing as hereditary insanity? I wonder which side of the family I got that from.

Whatever. The point was, I wasn't going to prom. I mean, what was the point? I would dress up, look pretty, then get shoved in the corner either way. I bet they wouldn't have noticed had I went with a potato sack.

And besides, Atobe would be there. Atobe, who probably had found another, prettier, worthier girl while I was stuck here mourning about my lost marbles.

Nevertheless, I had curled my hair to the extent that it looked like black springs with blue (temporary) streaks. I had also used contacts. I missed my glasses. I wasn't going to the prom, sure. But I wasn't going to stay at home either.

I would maybe catch a movie, go to the mall. It was still pretty early, I could still catch a few previews.

Sighing, I contemplated at how disappointed my mom would be at me. She had been yearning to see me in my newly acquired prom dress ever since I entered Hyoutei Gakuen. _My new acquired prom dress_, I thought with a sinking feeling in my stomach,_ that she would never see me in. _

I felt so bad. But I knew that I would feel a whole lot worse if I went to that godforsaken prom. I had only just managed to stop crying whenever I saw Atobe's face claim entry into my mind and that had only been because of Niou...

Niou. How late was it? Would he still be up? After all, it was only quarter to eight. Maybe I could spend the rest of the night with him. Hm.

Where did he live again? I walked to my closet and gently placed the prom dress in it.

Shit. I forgot to ask him.

What kind of stinking friend was I? I spent half the day mourning about Atobe with him and I forgot to ask his address? His school? His phone number?

Sometimes I wonder how it is that I manage to remember to put on underwear on mornings.

Never mind. I'd get his number from mom later. If I don't forget, that is. I wonder where I put my black marker.

Rolling my eyes at my general stupidity, I reached into my closet and pulled out the first shirt I felt.

My eyes widened when I recognized the deep blue silk contrasting with the lighter strips of blue.

The light seemed to sparkle off the mini pearl, resting in the middle of the blue miniribbon. I took a deep breath.

I was ready to start healing.

****

**Atobe's POV**

"What do you mean she's not here?" I looked indignantly at Rukia's father.

After hours of preparation and Gakuto pep talks, I had finally mustered enough courage to ask forgiveness from Rukia. I think it must have been the pep talks. Gakuto has a very high pitched voice and he uses it frequently. That boy must really like bats.

And now this man tells me Rukia's not here?!?!

I think I need to sit down.

"Well young man," Rukia's father fixed me with a rather piercing stare. "She went out about twenty minutes ago, dressed in jeans and this blue shirt. She said she'd be back before 9:30. My daughter didn't want to go to the prom, she said it was too much. Too much of what, I'll never know."

******

**Rukia's POV**

I didn't know where my feet were taking me.

It's like they had a mind of their own, they just headed out to the direction of a park.

But I didn't care. This was okay. I would think about my life while my feet did their thing.

Okay one. Did I still love Atobe?

I mean yes, I had told Niou that I did, and I certainly still thought so, but...

Something had changed inside of me yesterday when I was with Niou.

It was a hardly noticeable change, and yet it was big in every other way. I no longer thought of Atobe every second. My feelings for him were slowly ebbing away.

What the fuck did this mean?

Was it always like this? Is this how love works?

I thought I loved Atobe. I'm very sure I did.

But now... it's just...it's just gone.

So it was just like that? How would I ever know what was real and what was not?

How could something so strong prove out to be so weak in the end?

I shook my head free from these thoughts. Instead, I directed my attention to the park I had reached via feet.

And suddenly it hit me.

This was it. This was the park where me and Niou used to play. I didn't know it was still here.

I touched the metal bars holding up the slide. I remember when Niou had slid down so fast his shorts came off.

He had complained about his butt burning.

I grinned when I remembered how silly his hair was. Always sticking up and always in that ponytail of his. If you didn't look closely you might have mistaken his hair for a large, fat, spiky grey rat and you might have hit him over the head with a frying pan, which he would not exactly be excited over.

I moved across the swings, the monkey bars, the second slide. The moonlight cast shadows that danced around them.

Suddenly, I caught a movement from the corner of my eye. I quickly angled my head. There was a person there, with his back to me. His hair looked like a giant silver rat.

"Niou!" I screamed so loud that he started and tripped over his own feet.

Grinning, I extended a hand to him. He scowled playfully at me.

"You really shouldn't do that, Rukia. What if I died?" He snorted, dusting his pants.

"Silly boy. Why would you die?" I grinned up at him and we walked in pace with each other, to the other side of the park.

"Hm. You never know. I could have...let's see... I could have tripped, smashed my head open and you would have just stared at me until I died." He impatiently brushed a fly away from his hair.

"Okay, there's always that. But I'm not THAT stupid. I would have called police or something," I stared at the moon, feeling a sudden wave of happiness and contentment overcome me.

"Nah." He snorted. "You would have freaked out and started screaming something like _'Niou! There's blood all over your head! NIOU!!'_ Or something similarly stupid like that."

"Hey I would've at least..." I trailed off at mid-protest. He knew me too well.

"Hey, how'd our conversation get to dying anyway?" I asked cheerily, twirling under a metal bar.

"Aren't you supposed to be at your prom right about now?" He asked me, frowning.

"I'm not going." I casually tucked a strand of black hair behind my ear.

"Rukia you stupid, stupid, person. Today is your school prom. You're supposed to be having fun, not chatting with your childhood friend in a rundown old park." He whacked my head playfully.

I merely shrugged once, then cast my eyes upward, expecting him to scoff or something.

So I was ever surprised when he started dancing.

Was I hallucinating? Maybe I was going insane. That _would_ explain a lot of things.

"Niou...what the fuck are you doing?" I could barely control my laughter. I clutched my stomach, gasping for air.

"Trying to make you feel better. And besides," He added smugly, still doing the cha-cha. "I dance good."

"Yeah. You woo the ladies," I raised my hands in mock surrender.

He chuckled once, then sat down on the grass. I followed his example.

"Rukia, why aren't you at the prom?"

I twiddled with the hem of my shirt and stared at the stars. They looked so beautiful, twinkling in and out of existence, shrouded by a sheer, black sheet.

"I just don't want to go, 'Haru. It'll be too much to handle." I replied, squinting at one especially bright star.

*****

**Niou's POV**

I felt my heart beating faster and faster with every passing nanosecond.

Here it was. The perfect opportunity. So why wasn't I telling her how I felt?

Without even thinking about it, I knew the answer to that one. I was afraid that the friendship we shared would never be the same again.

And then the most inept failure would befall us: Complete silence.

Silently, I watched her stare at the stars. Her hair had been curled for the occasion, and she was wearing contacts. She looked beautiful.

So, it was gonna be like this. Okay. I could do this.

"Ru... do you know what it's like to... to like someone... but you can't tell that person because...well because that person loves someone else... but that person that the person loves doesn't love that person and that person has been hurting the person you love?"

Smooth.

She looked at me bemused. "You know 'Haru, I know this pretty good therapist. You can get your first session fr-"

****

Rukia's POV

Was Niou really...kissing me?

What in the name of baloney was the boy doing?

Had the world gone MAD?

And then I realized what he was trying to say.

Niou loved me?

My eyes widened.

My childhood friend loved me?

Did I love him??

Maybe...

Then I realized everything.

Niou had made me forget Atobe. He was the whole reason I was healing right now.

So..did I love him?

_Yes_, I realized. I did love him. I knew he would always be there. He had proved that when I was hurting about Atobe. He had been there to comfort me.

I pulled away from Niou who looked uncertain.

"I love you 'Haru." I smiled at him. Tears were glistening at the corners of my eyes.

"I love you Ru," He grinned boyishly back at me. I felt his hands encircle my waist. He buried his face on my shoulder, breathing in my scent.

I ran my hand through his silver hair, liking how soft it seemed to my fingers. The softness halted when I felt the bump of his ponytail.

Grinning, I pulled the ponytail away from his hair and threw it to the ground.

"RUKIA!" He shouted, frantically looking for his beloved.

"I love you 'Haru, but if you ever want me to call you 'boyfriend' we've gotta get you a _nice_, _clean_, haircut." I grinned

"THE APOCALYPSE!" He shouted then mock fainted.

Laughing, I pulled him up, gazing into his cool green eyes. He winked at me once, then lifted me up bridal style.

Together, we journeyed through this small but perfect piece of our forever.

* * *

**DONE and DONE! Hope you guys liked that chappie! I tried my best. If you guys want me to redo this chapter, then that's okay. I'm willing! Aw...Rukia and Niou are too cute... Anyways, the ending sentence was not mine, sadly. It belongs to Stephanie Meyer, authoress of Twilight. It just seemed to fit Rukia and Niou perfectly! GAAAWWD!!! Guys!! The story's DONE!! All there's left is the Author's note!! I'll miss you all... but this isn't over yet! Please stay tuned for the Author's note! It connects to the title!!**

**LOVE YOU AWL!!**

**~Miyu **


	9. Author's Note

**~Author's Note~**

**Even the most insignificant person can change our day. You can, oh, say, be running across the street and some insignificant nobody can just ram you then and there. Okay, bad example. What I'm trying to say is that no matter how much of a nobody you thought that person was, it remains to be seen what kind of person that person will prove to be. You catch me? XD A little like our, dear, dear Rukia over here. The little nerd, the loner, the one with no- **Rukia: WE GET IT!

**Cough. Anyways, that's what the title connects to. From a little itty bitty stepped on nerd, Rukia transformed to a person with friends, a person who is loved by everyone. Well, everyone that counts anyway. And she has three boys. That's more than enough, doncha think, Ru? **Rukia: I'm not sharing if that's what you're thinking.

**Harumph. Don't worry; it's just that time of the month. XD, just kidding! **

**Anyways, I want to thank you SO much for your continuing support! Without you guys, Rukia would be dead by now!**

Rukia: We love you!

Atobe: Ore-sama does not.

**Miyu: Say we love you or the hair GOES. Permanently. **

Atobe: Ore-sama loves you all! *waves frantically*

Niou: Love you babes!

**Miyu: *hits him with mop* **

Jirou: Miyu-chan loves you all! And so do I! Please continue supporting...whatever you people were supporting before Miyu-chan came and wrecked your lives!

**Miyu: *brings out a .45 calibre gun. Shaped candy.* **

Rukia: *waves* I love you awl! Thanks so much for the reviews!

**Miyu: Yeah, sweetie, that's my job. **

Niou: Well, that's the end of that. Purrriiii.

**Miyu: Stop saying puri and continue waving! *gestures to a flying Atobe* Just don't... over do it. **

Jirou: Please feel free to PM Miyu-chan whenever!

Rukia: Also feel free to ask her anything!

Niou: That's all! We'll be going now, babes!

Rukia: What if they're men?

Niou: Meh. Whatever.

**Miyu: BYE! BYE! TAKE CARE NOW AND DON'T FORGET TO EAT YOUR VITAMINS! –wait... what?! **

Atobe: Wait! WAIT! Ore-sama cannot fly! Wait!!! Wait I say! WAIT!


End file.
